'anti-draft' originates from Modern English, formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') combined with the English noun 'draft' (from Old English 'dræft'/'draught' meaning 'a drawing or selection').

'draft' came through Old English 'dræft' and Middle English 'draught' to mean various senses of drawing or selection; in modern English it took on the specific sense of compulsory military selection ('draft'). The compound political expression 'anti-draft' arose in the 20th century, especially around large conscription controversies (e.g., WWI, WWII, Vietnam era), to denote opposition to that practice.

Initially components referred to 'against' + 'a drawing/selection'; over time the compound came to mean specifically 'opposed to compulsory military conscription (the draft)'.